When All Else Fails
by Herald of Light
Summary: What was Joe's mom like? Under what circumstances did Joe end up in the parish? This is the challenge that was put forth to write about, and this is the product of that challenge.


**When all else fails...**

The day had started so well. The sun had risen at 6:38, she had sat down and few her young son his first bottle of the day at 6:45, and had eggs and bacon at 7:00. She had nothing planned today. Today was a day that she could just sit back, relax, and enjoy her son's youth. Maybe if the weather held, she would go visit her uncle at the parish.

That was where she had met him. It had been a one-night stand, but the American had been kind. He had been in on a business trip, and had had to go out again. She received money from him, and a letter or phone call every now and then. Their son, Joe, looked so much like him that she never felt alone. When her family had heard what that she was pregnant, they had disowned her. All that is, except her uncle. He had known about the whole affair from the beginning.

She turned on the television. The morning news was still on, they were talking about the super typhoon that would hit the southern islands in the next day. In the world there was little change. Tyranny and oppression were everywhere. Even the mighty United States was falling. In the land of the free and the home of the brave there were riots. Some were even talking about how they would secede and fight for their freedom. The world was falling apart at the seems. Everything that had been fought for in the last decade: peace, hope, liberty, all of it was being lost to the evils of every person's greed. This had become the norm that she saw, day in, and day out.

"Such a beautiful day. A shame to waste it indoors." Ke-min said to herself as she stared out the window of her eight-floor apartment. "How about we go and see Uncle Jea?" Ke-min picked up her son and put him in his carrier. It was almost ten o'clock now. The elevator ride to the bottom floor was lonely. Everyone had gone to work or school by now. That being the fact, the streets were still crowded with taxicabs and bicycles. "Tourists come and tourists go, but we are always here, right Joe?"

"Ga goo." Joe looked up with his dark eyes and smiled.

* * *

"How about that one?"

"No, too fat."

"That one?"

"Too tall?"

"That one over by the stoplight with the stroller?"

"Perfect! But she has that kid..."

"So? What's with a kid? We'll just leave him in the river. Heh."

"No you won't! Run a search on the girl. Until then, we will follow her."

* * *

"EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! United Nations declares martial law in Middle East. United States sends invasion force. Massive protests. EXTRA! EXTRA!"

"Why should I even worry on my day off? I already found out everything this morning watching the news. I don't want to hear about it until I'm good and ready." Ke-min sighed to the paperboy as she passed.

"Sorry ma'am, just trying to pay my way through school. I admit it myself, I don't like playing the bad news of the world off to other people, but I don't really have a choice with the economic turndown and all."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, I wish things weren't so bad."

"Well, just as much as I wish the same, it won't happen. Looks like soon either the United Nations or the United States will control much of the world. Every nation and interested faction is buying all kinds of weapons, where they come from, no one knows."

"We shouldn't be fighting each other, but those who are causing all of this by supplying the weapons."

"Your right, but we are merely normal people. We know the right direction that we should go, but the people in power won't or can't listen to us. They are either blackmailed, paid off, or a little of both."

"It's sad that we live in such a world. Well, it was nice talking to you. Good Day."

"Yes ma'am, a pleasure talking to you. Good day."

Ke-min looked down at Joe. The poor kid was going to grow up in a questionable world. Every day could be the last. Up ahead was the bridge. She had taken the long way, seeing as the entire day was before her. The bridge would give her a good view of the ocean. The waves coming in and the ships going out, they seemed so peaceful.

The parish was on the other side of the bridge.

"Take her!! We can't let her go! Throw the kid in the river"

What was that? Someone was getting out of one of the cars behind her. It was a black sedan. They were running towards her! They must be after her! Had the government found out her secret? She pushed the stroller faster, trying to mingle into the crowd. But that failed, the men in suits were still pinned onto her. They couldn't be lost! Taking Joe out of the stroller, she went into a full dash. She just had to get to the other side of the bridge. With her free hand she reached into her purse and put her hand on the gun, ready to pull it out just in case.

"Where'd she go?" Came a voice off to her left.

"Over there, just about to go off the bridge, hurry!"

How did they know where she was? Must be one of those new weapons that had been going onto the black market lately, some kind of tracking system. If only she wasn't the focus of the chase, she could have told her contact about it. But there was no time! She had to get to the parish.

"Toll please." The guard said, holding her hand out.

Ignoring her, Ke-min dashed past the tollbooth. They had threatened Joe, if nothing else, she would see to it that he would survive.

"We've got her cornered by the parish."

Reaching the steps, she found that the door was locked. It wasn't time for noon confession of course. That means that in order to prevent her being taken, she had to do one thing.

"I'm sorry Joe." She looked down at him. The dark brown eyes could have held her stare forever, but she didn't have that kind of time. "Mommy has to leave you now. Be a good boy, and don't worry, everything will turn for the better." With that she reached into her purse and produced a pill.

"With all the advancements in killing, at least the old ways still work." With those as her final words, she took the pill in one big gulp, laid down on the steps, and died.

"There she is!"

"DAMN! She's dead!"

"She must have been with the Black Resistance. Thought that we were with the government that owes us so much, and took a cyanide pill to prevent us from getting her."

"Well, we could take the baby..."

"What are you men doing here!!!" The doors flew open and the Father came out. "What have you done to my niece? You've killed her!" He looked down, hoping that there was still some flicker of life. But there wasn't. "Damn you to hell! She was the only family I had left!" With that he started crying, the tears strolled down his face and fell onto his niece's face. That was when the rain started.

The dark clouds had come in suddenly, and lightning struck the two men.

"AHHH!"

"Thank you, Lord." He took the dead body of Ke-min and hugged her. The rain still was pouring, and he was soon drenched.

"WAHHHH!"

"What? Joe! Oh Joe your alive!" He picked up the young boy, wiping his eyes clear of the rain with his blanket. "At least the Evil One hasn't taken you away from me. Will you stay here with me, and keep me company?"

"Goo goo."

"Then let's go inside and get you a little to eat, and then we will call the police."


End file.
